fraternity-第17章

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n　unholy；　astonished　little　smile　played　on　her　lips。

'What　am　I　doing？'　it　seemed　to　say。　　'The　way　he　got　me　here　really！　　And　now　I　am　here　I'm　just　going　to　enjoy　it！'

There　were　no　Hughs；　no　little　modelall　that　sordid　life　had　vanished；　there　was　nothing　but　the　wind　beating　her　cheeks　and　the　A。i。　Damyer　leaping　under　her。

Mr。　Purcey　said：　〃It　just　makes　all　the　difference　to　me；　keeps　my　nerves　in　order。〃

〃Oh；〃　Cecilia　murmured；　〃have　you　got　nerves。〃

Mr。　Purcey　smiled。　　When　he　smiled　his　cheeks　formed　two　hard　red　blocks；　his　trim　moustache　stood　out；　and　many　little　wrinkles　ran　from　his　light　eyes。

〃Chock　full　of　them；〃　he　said；　〃least　thing　upsets　me。　　Can't　bear　to　see　a　hungry…lookin'　child；　or　anything。〃

A　strange　feeling　of　admiration　for　this　man　had　come　upon　Cecilia。　Why　could　not　she；　and　Thyme；　and　Hilary；　and　Stephen；　and　all　the　people　they　knew　and　mixed　with；　be　like　him；　so　sound　and　healthy；　so　unravaged　by　disturbing　sympathies；　so　innocent　of　〃social　conscience；〃　so　content？

As　though　jealous　of　these　thoughts　about　her　master；　the　A。i。　Damyer　stopped　of　her　own　accord。

〃Hallo；〃　said　Mr。　Purcey；　〃hallo；　I　say！　　Don't　you　get　out；　she'll　be　all　right　directly。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Cecilia；　〃thanks；　but　I　must　go　in　here；　anyhow；　I　think　I'll　say　good…bye。　　Thank　you　so　much。　　I　have　enjoyed　it。〃

》From　the　threshold　of　a　shop　she　looked　back。　　Mr。　Purcey；　on　foot；　was　leaning　forward　from　the　waist；　staring　at　his　A。i。　Damyer　with　profound　concentration。




CHAPTER　IX

HILARY　GIVES　CHASE

The　ethics　of　a　man　like　Hilary　were　not　those　of　the　million　pure　bred　Purceys　of　this　life；　founded　on　a　sense　of　property　in　this　world　and　the　next；　nor　were　they　precisely　the　morals　and　religion　of　the　aristocracy；　who；　though　aestheticised　in　parts；　quietly　used；　in　bulk；　their　fortified　position　to　graft　on　Mr。　Purcey's　ethics　the　principle　of　'You　be　damned！'　　In　the　eyes　of　the　majority　he　was　probably　an　immoral　and　irreligious　man；　but　in　fact　his　morals　and　religion　were　those　of　his　special　section　of　societythe　cultivated　classes；　〃the　professors；　the　artistic　pigs；　advanced　people；　and　all　that　sort　of　cuckoo；〃　as　Mr。　Purcey　called　thema　section　of　society　supplemented　by　persons；　placed　beyond　the　realms　of　want；　who　speculated　in　ideas。

Had　he　been　required　to　make　confession　of　his　creed　he　would　probably　have　framed　it　in　some　such　way　as　this：　〃I　disbelieve　in　all　Church　dogmas；　and　do　not　go　to　church；　I　have　no　definite　ideas　about　a　future　state；　and　do　not　want　to　have；　but　in　a　private　way　I　try　to　identify　myself　as　much　as　possible　with　what　I　see　about　me；　feeling　that　if　I　could　ever　really　be　at　one　with　the　world　I　live　in　I　should　be　happy。　　I　think　it　foolish　not　to　trust　my　senses　and　my　reason；　as　for　what　my　senses　and　my　reason　will　not　tell　me；　I　assume　that　all　is　as　it　had　to　be；　for　if　one　could　get　to　know　the　why　of　everything　in　one　would　be　the　Universe。　　I　do　not　believe　that　chastity　is　a　virtue　in　itself；　but　only　so　far　as　it　ministers　to　the　health　and　happiness　of　the　community。　　I　do　not　believe　that　marriage　confers　the　rights　of　ownership；　and　I　loathe　all　public　wrangling　on　such　matters；　but　I　am　temperamentally　averse　to　the　harming　of　my　neighbours；　if　in　reason　it　can　be　avoided。　　As　to　manners；　I　think　that　to　repeat　a　bit　of　scandal；　and　circulate　backbiting　stories；　are　worse　offences　than　the　actions　that　gave　rise　to　them。　　If　I　mentally　condemn　a　person；　I　feel　guilty　of　moral　lapse。　　I　hate　self…assertion；　I　am　ashamed　of　self…advertisement。　　I　dislike　loudness　of　any　kind。　　Probably　I　have　too　much　tendency　to　negation　of　all　sorts。　　Small…talk　bores　me　to　extinction；　but　I　will　discuss　a　point　of　ethics　or　psychology　half　the　night。　　To　make　capital　out　of　a　person's　weakness　is　repugnant　to　me。　　I　want　to　be　a　decent　man；　butI　really　can't　take　myself　too　seriously。〃

Though　he　had　preserved　his　politeness　towards　Cecilia；　he　was　in　truth　angry；　and　grew　angrier　every　minute。　　He　was　angry　with　her；　himself；　and　the　man　Hughs；　and　suffered　from　this　anger　as　only　they　can　who　are　not　accustomed　to　the　rough…and…tumble　of　things。

Such　a　retiring　man　as　Hilary　was　seldom　given　the　opportunity　for　an　obvious　display　of　chivalry。　　The　tenor　of　his　life　removed　him　from　those　situations。　　Such　chivalry　as　he　displayed　was　of　a　negative　order。　　And　confronted　suddenly　with　the　conduct　of　Hughs；　who；　it　seemed；　knocked　his　wife　about；　and　dogged　the　footsteps　of　a　helpless　girl；　he　took　it　seriously　to　heart。

When　the　little　model　came　walking　up　the　garden　on　her　usual　visit；　he　fancied　her　face　looked　scared。　　Quieting　the　growling　of　Miranda；　who　from　the　first　had　stubbornly　refused　to　know　this　girl；　he　sat　down　with　a　book　to　wait　for　her　to　go　away。　　After　sitting　an　hour　or　more；　turning　over　pages；　and　knowing　little　of　their　sense；　he　saw　a　man　peer　over　his　garden　gate。　　He　was　there　for　half　a　minute；　then　lounged　across　the　road；　and　stood　hidden　by　some　railings。

'So？'　thought　Hilary。　　'Shall　I　go　out　and　warn　the　fellow　to　clear　off；　or　shall　I　wait　to　see　what　happens　when　she　goes　away？'

He　determined　on　the　latter　course。　　Presently　she　came　out；　walking　with　her　peculiar　gait；　youthful　and　pretty；　but　too　matter…of…fact；　and　yet；　as　it　were；　too　purposeless　to　be　a　lady's。　　She　looked　back　at　Hilary's　window；　and　turned　uphill。

Hilary　took　his　hat　and　stick　and　waited。　　In　half　a　minute　Hughs　came　out　from　under　cover　of　the　railings　and　followed。　　Then　Hilary；　too；　set　forth。

There　is　left　in　every　man　something　of　the　primeval　love　of　stalking。　　The　delicate　Hilary；　in　cooler　blood；　would　have　revolted　at　the　notion　of　dogging　people's　footsteps。　　He　now　experienced　the　holy　pleasures　of　the　chase。　　Certain　that　Hughs　was　really　following　the　girl；　he　had　but　to　keep　him　in　sight　and　remain　unseen。　　This　was　not　hard　for　a　man　given　to　mountain…climbing；　almost　the　only　sport　left　to　one　who　thought　it　immoral　to　hurt　anybody　but　himself。

Taking　advantage　of　shop…windows；　omnibuses；　passers…by；　and　other　bits　of　cover；　he　prosecuted　the　chase　up　the　steepy　heights　of　Campden　Hill。　　But　soon　a　nearly　fatal　check　occurred；　for；　chancing　to　take　his　eyes　off　Hughs；　he　saw　the　little　model　returning　on　her　tracks。　　Ready　enough　in　physical　emergencies；　Hilary　sprang　into　a　passing　omnibus。　　He　saw　her　stopping　before　the　window　of　a　picture…

shop。　　From　the　expression　of　her　face　and　figure；　she　evidently　had　no　idea　that　she　was　being　followed；　but　stood　with　a　sort　of　slack…　lipped　wonder；　lost　in　admiration　of　a　well…known　print。　　Hilary　had　often　wondered　who　could　possibly　admire　that　picturehe　now　knew。　It　was　obvious　that　the　girl's　aesthetic　sense　was　deeply　touched。

While　this　was　passing　through　his　mind；　he　caught　sight　of　Hughs　lurking　outside　a　public…house。　　The　dark　man's　face　was　sullen　and　dejected；　and　looked　as　if　he　suffered。　　Hilary　felt　a　sort　of　pity　for　him。

The　omnibus　leaped　forward；　and　he　sat　down　smartly　almost　on　a　lady's　lap。　　This　was　the　lap　of　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace；　who　greeted　him　with　a　warm；　quiet　smile；　and　made　a　little　room。

〃Your　sister…in…law　has　just　been　to　see　me；　Mr。　Dallison。　　She's　such　a　dear…so　interested　in　everything。　　I　tried　to　get　her　to　come　on　to　my　meeting　with　me。〃

Raising　his　hat；　Hilary　frowned。　　For　once　his　delicacy　was　at　fault。　He　said：

〃Ah；　yes！　　Excuse　me！〃　and　got　out。

Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace　looked　after　him；　and　then　glanced　round　the　omnibus。　　His　conduct　was　very　like　the　conduct　of　a　man　who　had　got　in　to　keep　an　assignation　with　a　lady；　and　found　that　lady　sitting　next　his　aunt。　　She　was　unable　to　see　a　soul　who　seemed　to　foster　this　view；　and　sat　thinking　that　he　was　〃rather　attractive。〃　Suddenly　her　dark　busy　eyes　lighted　on　the　figure　of　the　little　model　strolling　along　again。

'Oh！'　she　thought。　　'Ah！　　Yes；　really！　　How　very　interesting！'

Hilary；　to　avoid　meeting　the　girl　point…blank；　had　turned　up　a　by…　street；　and；　finding　a　convenient　corner；　waited。　　He　was　puzzled。　If　this　man　were　persecuting　her　with　his　attentions；　why　had　he　not　gone　across　when　she　was　standing　at　the　p